Dancing With My Son: When You Discover Kids Really Were Listening by Charlene Torkelson

I’ve been a ballroom dance teacher for 40 years. I started teaching in a nationally known studio when I was single and enjoyed a decade-long career before having children. After my children, I went back to teaching in that same studio. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to balance my teaching schedule with my kids’ school and activities. However, there were times when I had to cart the little ones in for a lesson or rehearsal. To my children, dancing was “Mom’s job” – certainly not something to be pursued. 

Fast forward to my oldest coming home after college. I said, “If you are staying in this house, you need to come to my dance classes. I need more men.” By now, I was teaching independently in my home studio. Reluctantly, he agreed only to discover “Mom’s job” was fun. 

He interviewed at the dance studio where I had taught and trained to become a dance teacher. After several years of teaching, I finally convinced him to come teach with me in my home studio. I discovered he was not only a great dancer and teacher, but I could learn a few pointers from him. Our partnership has proven that children do listen to what we do and say. 

Now it is also his job.